Offspring of an Outlander
by Lavenderpaw
Summary: Kovu's always had a rough life, but maybe a certain lioness can change that. Finished.
1. Fire flares

**A/N: **My interest in LK2 has been intact for the last thirteen years. Roughly - 1998. I always pondered why Kovu would go from being bad to good so easily. The concept intrigued me as a nine-year-old kid and I've decided to remake/model my own version.

**I.**

"Dad, wait up!"

Simba turned his head and smiled slightly as his three-month-old son chased after him. It wasn't really the king's fault, of course, the young lion was easily distracted by the most commonplace things. A frown crossed his muzzle as he recounted that the revival of all these creatures was just starting to thrive. Kopa perked his ears in his father's direction and scampered over to him. Grinning, Simba went into a play crouch and caught his son.

"Ha ha! Gotcha Dad!"

"Oh…" the lion leaned forward into the cub's face. "Is _that _right?"

They tumbled around for a bit before Simba got to his feet. "Come on now, Kopa. I have something that I want you to see." he started heading back towards the tall grass that was undisturbed by their wrestling session when he heard Kopa's gasp of surprise… and froze.

'_Uh-oh_.'

"Hey, dad. What's that place over there?"

Immediately - even as he tried to hesitate - Simba's mahogany eyes flew to the devastated sight of ashen Pride lands that had yet to grow back. Carcasses lay under dead trees and clouds that held unshed water hung as if to taunt the desolate earth. There hadn't been a tone of sadness or even remorse in his son's squeaky voice, just curiosity and intrigue. It was a subject Simba knew that Kopa would eventually broach to him but why did he have to explain such atrocities to his only child so early? Simba could _never_ justify sending any living being to these ruins, let alone letting them live there. But he had to tell his son now.

"These… are the outer lands, Kopa. They lead to a place that Pride Landers don't go to."

"Oh." He said.

Simba tried not to let the child's excitement drain. "Come on, son. I want you to see this."

"The surprise?"

"Yep."

"You mean the surprise wasn't the outer lands?" Kopa piped up, trying to run ahead.

"Ha ha ha ha! Nice try!" Simba laughed as he guided his son with a bit more confidence.

~.~

The sun slanted down and filled the western sky in a complete radiance of orange and red.

'This is it…'

Kopa looked up as his father stopped and sat down at a strange indention in the ground. A few more yards would bring them within sight of Pride rock but the young prince knew in his heart that home wasn't the object of his father's attention right then. He moved a little closer to where the king's front toes ended and looked down to see the weathered indent.

"What is this, Dad?"

He took a moment to consider his words. "This is the paw print made by your grandfather the night before… he was killed, Kopa." the cub didn't react to this in the way he thought his father expected him to, instead he only hung his head solemnly and tried to understand.

"Why?" Kopa looked to see his father standing as still as a statue in the brilliant sunset.

"Your uncle Scar had a darkness in him, son. An evil. I don't know if he ever tried to do good in his life, but this evil was something your uncle couldn't escape from. In the end he was consumed by his anger and hatred. Destroyed. It was the very thing he'd used for power."

Kopa watched the ground as his and his father's shadows shifted with the shifting red orb, he looked up then; struck by inspiration. "Dad." His father turned to look down at him. "I don't think Uncle Scar was evil." Simba shook his head and said he couldn't understand.

"But, Dad, there had to be _some _good in him."

The young king sighed. "Don't worry about it, you'll realize the truth eventually."

The future prince, however, was not ready to stop worrying about it.

"You said that his bad feelings destroyed him…"

Simba looked slightly disturbed at this, "Yes," he reluctantly admitted.

"Then he was just like a fire." Kopa told him, moving onto a rock so that he was level with his father and the greening Pride lands. "And it would take something good and pure to put out that hate and anger fire, right? Lika a-," His father laughed and nudged him off the rock.

"I suppose," He said. "Let's get home, all right? I think I can smell a kill your mother's made."

"Hold on." Kopa quickened to move from in front of the rock and back over to the print.

"What're you doing?"

"Here." the cub pressed his own paw down into the exact print his father had made many years ago. "Now half of me we'll always be there." He jumped up and ran excitedly back to where his father was, only to stick his tongue out and race ahead. "Bet'cha can't catch me!"

"Oh, no." Simba chuckled and chased after him. "Want to-,"

A loud snarling sound was heard, followed by a shriek and a ripping noise.

"_Kopa_!"

~.~

The last rays of the vermilion sun dwindled down as a new shade of red was at Simba's feet.

To be continued…

~ Lavenderpaw ~


	2. The morning of mourning

**I.**

_Four months and thirteen conspiring banishments later…_

The king examined his feet listlessly.

"We can't hide from the world forever," Nala insisted, resting her eleven-month-acquired bulk against her husband. Simba didn't bother moving his eyes up to meet hers, he didn't bother with anything; He could never accept the new male cub as his own. Whether Simba was the father or not, the mustard yellow-furred cub with the pitch black tuft wouldn't do.

There was only one, rightful heir.

Nala shuddered into his side more, helpless to console the despondent king.

She looked down at her new cub, looked up at Simba and then nudged the child over.

The awkward silence turned to loneliness when a small noise made him perk up.

In one jolt of realization, Simba drew his arm up and saw the tiny female lying on her small belly. She gave a whimper of a yawn as her eyes fluttered open and peered up with large blank eyes at him. There was awareness in their reddish-brown depths, but the sight of her was something that Simba couldn't ignore. She wasn't a male cub to take his son's place, this little cub was there as a gift. With a drastic change of heart, the king pawed her over.

"She's beautiful," he muttered and pressed his pink nose to her purple one… smiling.

Nala felt her eyes mist over as she settled in to revel in Simba's happiness.

Tears of his own trickled down the cheek that his new daughter wasn't pressed to.

...

In a coconut tree on the border between the Outlands and the Pride lands, Rafiki sat with a relieved look upon his face. Finally, the Great Kings had answered his prayers and Simba had been given new meaning to his life - and in the form of a daughter. The primate knew that she was someone who would never hurt the young king. She was someone that Simba could look on and not feel the scars left behind by his troubled past, someone to bring only light and clarity to a bitter and divided family. What trouble could a young daughter bring?

"A son…" He murmured to himself. "Is a father's pride." his thumb dipped into a coconut.

"But a _daughter_…" Rafiki chuckled heartily and traced a circle in the middle of the new cub's chest. "… is a father's joy." She looked so pristine painted on his wall; so perfect. "Ki-_ar_a."

She seemed so pure, so painless...

When the old mandrill turned back around a clash of thunder erupted in the distance.

**II.**

"Mom!" A voice caught both Nala and Simba's attention as they took attendance of the other cubs in their pride. "Dad. If I don't have to be counted, why can't I just go already?"

As soon as all was well, the king dismissed the foursome to go on ahead.

When Simba turned to give Kiara the okay she bolted from sight and ran towards the top of Pride rock's ledge. He could make out that her breathing was a little heavy as she scanned the lands and worried right away that she could hurt herself if she ran after the other cubs.

'She is the runt of Kula's litter.'

"Wow," Kiara whispered, excited to join the group.

"Whoa!" Simba scooped her up. "Where're you off to in such a hurry?"

The princess's answering look wasn't one he liked to see.

To be continued…

Yep, I'm playing around with LK2 and inserting my own stuff. If any dialogue has been altered or added it's just to authenticate the use of characters that didn't make it into production. Kopa, Shani, etc. So yes, Kiara is the result of Simba and Kula - Case closed.

~ Lavenderpaw ~


	3. Onwards to the Outlands: Pt 1 of 2

****

I.

"Slimy!"

"Crunchy!"

"Slimy!"

"Crunchy!"

Taking advantage of their typical insect arguments, Kiara started to creep away.

"Ahem!"

Timon was looking pointedly at the cub when she looked over her shoulder. He made a little circling motion with his finger and jabbed it into the center of his paw-hand while his warthog companion nodded for emphasis. Wrinkling her muzzle, Kiara dropped her rump.

"Shall we resume arguing over trivial matters?" Pumbaa asked in a suave voice.

"Oh, yes, lets."

"Less filling…"

"Tastes good."

"Less filling…"

"Tastes good."

"_Less _filling!"

By the time they looked up again Kiara had already left. She was always on her own, that was a fact that the princess had learned to live with. The prospect of seeking out the Outer lands or whatever her father had called it lingered in the front of her mind when she heard noises from up ahead. Kiara brightened … These weren't just any noises. 'It's my friends!'

Making her way up a small dirt incline, the cub was able to make out Shani, Timira, Aisha and Chaka below. The little male watched the three females with a bored look as the dark cream-furred lioness Aisha explained the rules for their game. She tried to sneak up on the leader when a brown-red blur had her pinned down. Aisha glared at her over her shoulder.

"_Princess_," she mocked.

"Give it up, Kiara, no one can escape Shan's hold. Not even Chaka!"

The little male cub curled up into a ball and yawned.

"So what do you want, anyway?" Aisha demanded.

"To play." Kiara rolled onto her feet when Shani finally backed away from her.

"What makes you think were gonna let ya?"

"No-no, wait, wait. Girls… Chaka. I'm all for letting Kiara play but we have even teams. I mean, if unless Chaka doesn't want to play of course." The cub was already passed out as Aisha's eyes grazed his slumbering form. "But, wait!" she stopped Kiara. "You have to be able to pin either me or Timira down to play." She grinned over at the storm-gray lioness.

"Yeah," Timira agreed. "And I don't think you can really do that, Kiara."

To prove them wrong - not just them, her father and everyone else - the cub lunged at the pair to take them both down and flew backwards into a stumble when they casually moved to either side. By the time Kiara had landed at the bottom of the rise there was a bellowing of laughter going around the large imprint. Shaking herself off, the princess continued with head down in this direction. Her parents, her friends, her babysitters, none of them thought she could do anything right. The sight of the mysterious darkness on the horizon beckoned her and Kiara perked up a bit, running excitedly over to a log and then crossing it without a second thought. 'Who needs'em?' She thought to herself. 'I'm better off alone, anyway.'

The end of the fallen tree was upon her when Kiara accidentally tripped and bowled into a cub standing on the other side. This dark-furred child went flying, his arms and legs going everywhere as they fell down side-by-side. There was a moment Kiara thought that he was going to react by yelling at her, but instead the cub jumped to his feet and hissed her way.

She gasped.

**II.**

The lioness was weak looking; even for what Kovu had been told.

"Who're you, Pride Lander?" He questioned his intruder and leapt from side-to-side to try and confront. "What're you doing?" They both argued back and forth before he laughed. "An Outsider doesn't need anybody!" he claimed. It was true, his brother had taught Kovu this.

"Nobody?"

"Nope! _I _take care of my_self_."

"Really?" Kovu smiled as he felt that he was winning, turning to face her and gloat. What the Pride Lander was going to say next got lost with his gasp - A large mouth had opened behind her head. "Run!" He told her as she screamed. The two cubs tried to flee for cover.

**A/N:** The next perspective shifts off into Kovu. He and Kiara will share most of the POV's.

To be continued…

~ Lavenderpaw ~


	4. Onwards to the Outlands: Pt 2 of 2

**I.**

Kiara called out to the Outlander cub from the top of a river bound tree.

"H-hey! What about me?"

"Ya gotta take care of yourself!"

"B-But." She stuttered and in a split second had to scale up the rest of the branch.

**II.**

All he could think about was getting away, all that mattered was that _he _survived. The cub was nearly halfway to a loose tree dangling in the murky waters of the river when he heard the Pride Lander scream. His ears perked and he gawked over as a big, angry alligator was close to taking a bite out of her. A sense of guilt wracked him so he yelled out at them all:

"_Hey_! You big, stupid lizards! You want me…" Kovu backed away, "come get me."

"What are you doing now?" the little female called down to him.

"I-I'll distract them, run!"

Green and black filled his eyes as he hopped along the opening and closing mouths. Part of him couldn't believe he was doing this; he had to escape! But knowing that the other child was still endanger and knowing that he could help kept sending unexplainable urges to go and aide her. Kovu tried to keep close to the tree that led up to the back of the Pride lands but there was no way he could have it both ways. The cub jumped from here to there in an attempt to get to safety but the alligators' numbers kept multiplying. He shrunk away now.

"Uh… uh."

The lead lizard's mouth was on top of him when two light gold paws landed on it's snout.

"Move it." Her wide red-brown eyes stressed the message.

Kovu breathed in relief and followed the Pride Lander over towards their only escape. The male cub was up the tree in no time, but the lioness struggled as a scaly set of jaws caught onto it and tried to rip her back in. He perked up in fright, watching things unfold in alarm.

The Pride Lander paused for only a second to look down before she leapt up to the side.

They took a moment to catch their breaths. Kovu looked down at her and she up at him. It dawned on him after a moment that she had saved his life and a gladdened smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. The Pride Lander met his eyes gratefully too and returned a little smile of her own. Together, the pair walked over side-by-side to peer down into the river.

"I did it."

'Did _what_? Oh.'

"I DID IT!"

Kovu looked over at her tolerantly.

"Hah!" He joined in the victory as they moved back to look at each other.

"Whoa - man! Did you see the size of those teeth!.? They were like-,"

The Outlander stood up straight, trying but failing to conjure up his little savior's abundant enthusiasm. Finally, when she left him in an awkward state, Kovu managed to speak some:

"Yeah… we do make a pretty team, don't we?"

"_And_?" the lioness got in his face challengingly.

"And… you-were-pretty-brave-too," He admitted. "By the way, my name's Kovu."

She giggled. "I'm… Kiara."

A tiny growl from the grass around them made Kovu raise his ear up.

"So, if we're not enemies anymore… and, we _like _each other…"

His green eyes widened.

"That means we can be…"

It took a moment to click for him. "Friends?"

Kiara grinned.

"Well, sure, I guess."

There were a more moments that she tried to engage him in some foreign ritual that she called 'tag' when a huge male lion leapt from the grass behind Kiara. Kovu reared back in fright, his mouth hanging open. The only other male lion he had ever seen before was his half-brother Nuka. But this lion; this one was older, bigger and looked far better fed than Kovu had laid eyes on. No, it couldn't be him! The lion then growled his mother's name.

"_Sim_ba…"

Kovu whined and tried to go under her legs, afraid the big, overfed lion would eat him.

**III.**

Kiara went over to hide inside her father's legs, frozen and wide-eyed in fear.

"These lands belong to Scar…" the lean lioness in front of Simba announced.

"I banished you from the Pride Lands!"

'Banished?'

"Now you and your young cub… Get. Out."

Kiara and Kovu both stumbled back almost simultaneously, afraid of the two parents.

"Oh…" Zira - Kovu's mother Kiara now guessed - spoke, "Haven't you met my youngest son, Kovu?" She cradled the child dangerously in one of her long paws. "I was designated by Scar to select a worthwhile successor to follow in his paw prints and eventually take his

Throne," the lioness leered into Simba's eyes purposely. "and eventually, to become _king_."

The lion growled down at the cub - causing him to tremble.

Kiara looked on as Zira further explained.

"Scar only had one son, Nuka, but he did not feel the young male lion was worthy enough to take his place in the long run. Enter Kovu; the offspring of a rogue I knew in my earlier days and whom I found I could depend on after _you_ banished us to the Outlands, where all

Of us have little food, less water-," Simba cut her off, implying great punishment.

"But the child _does not._ However," Zira scouted her son up to the present king's feet. "If you need your pound of flesh… here." Kiara hid behind her father, gasping in quiet horror.

Kovu caught her eye, distressed and helpless.

The young princess tried to escape from behind his hind legs when her father finally spoke:

"Take him and get out… we're finished here."

"Oh, no, Simba." Zira approached them and Kiara knew by the evil glint in her eyes that it was far from over. The lioness spoke her father's name once but he only took her silently.

The Pride Landers and Outlanders parted ways.

To be continued…

**A/N:** Gawd, I need a Tylenol.

~ Lavenderpaw ~


	5. Precedence in the Pridelands: Pt 1 of 3

_Sisters are different flowers from the same garden. ~Author Unknown_

**I. **Six months old…

Kiara practiced her pouncing around the rocky rises that Aisha, Shani and Timira were sunbathing behind. It wasn't a terribly hot day but the sun had been out after many rainy ones. This occurrence alone was enough to convince the young cub that practicing at her hunting skills was a good idea. She swiped at the shiny beetles that buzzed around in the bright yellow light, gleaming and catching her eye. A soft giggle caught Kiara's attention.

'Why won't they hunt?'

Wrinkling her muzzle, the lioness noticed a patch of gooey mud lying between her and the round stones leading up to where her sisters lay on their backs. They were completely and without a doubt unaware that Kiara was there. Slyly, the cub rolled around in the rain-wet brown and stalked over towards the lionesses quietly. From below she saw that Timira had a fern in her paws and was fanning Aisha while Shani adjusted a leaf over her sister's eyes.

"Isn't this great girls?" she said, sighing contently. "I swear, _I _should be the princess."

"I'll say," Shani grumbled.

"What?"

"Nothing. Nothing." Timira spoke quickly, sending the red-brown lioness a pleading look.

The middle sister was anxious to keep them from fighting.

It wasn't long before the two working cubs noticed that a mud-drenched Kiara was right above them, eyeing Aisha with a wide grin. Exchanging glances, they both rolled away as their youngest sister leapt down to stand beside the oldest cub who lifted up the large leaf.

"Uh, who told you guys you could stop pampering me?"

Her eyes went wide as Kiara shook herself off on Aisha gleefully.

**II. **Ten months old…

She ran down an incline toward a small herd of Thompson gazelle, annoyed that her own mother had dismissed her back to the Pride lands and wouldn't let Kiara hunt with the rest of the pride. "'You know how your father feels, now return home before he misses you.'"

Her sisters had mocked from afar - especially Aisha and Timira - as they feasted on rabbit meat. It wasn't _her_ fault if they didn't believe in a Jackrabbit. Kiara didn't even think that it was called a hare, much less a bunny. Before her now the promise of taking her first kill down tempted the princess. She prowled forward, the small horned animals in her sights.

~.~

The young prince snapped his jaws on a gnarly branch sticking up from the ground, trying to find some insects from the barely life-enabling yellow grasses. Weeks had gone by with no rain in sight and his mother had demanded that all lions - even the cubs Kovu was told he wasn't allowed to father - must search for sustenance. And so what? It wasn't _his_ job.

Hard work was a lioness's job, especially hunting and parenting.

Beside, Kovu was being raised for something far more important.

From the distance the eleven-month-old cub saw that a small herd of gazelle were grazing on a rock-surrounded rise in the land. "All right," he grinned, disregarding the fact that he had gone against his mother's orders and returned to a place Kovu knew could ruin them.

Licking his lips, he proceeded up the hill.

…


	6. Precedence in the Pridelands: Pt 2 of 3

**I.**

Kiara had a large gazelle in her sights as she slid through the thick clumps of yellowing grass. Hunting was so simple, if you were a predator you had to go for the largest and the one with the most meat, that's what Kiara thought anyway. She was five feet from it as it moved from the middle towards the outside on the end. The gazelle had no idea that it was about to be taken for a meal when something dark brown leapt from atop a prey obscuring vantage point and went for one of the gazelle in the middle. Predictably, they all scattered.

"No!" Kiara exclaimed and tried going for the small animal.

It threw out it's hind quarters and barely missed kicking her in the face by an inch or two.

"Grr!"

The sound of another lion made the young lioness freeze up… if someone caught her out hunting they would report her to her father; and if that happened she would not ever have the chance to go hunting again. Stifling a breath at that thought, Kiara took cover behind what turned out to be a half-rotted log. Whoever had ambushed the prey from the top of the fallen tree was seething and making clawing jerks at the jostling herd. She peered up.

"Hello?" her voice was faint.

A pair of striking green eyes flew up to glare at her.

Kiara gasped, ducking back down.

"Who's there!.?" The lion demanded roughly.

~.~

Kovu advanced on his hidden captive. Whoever it was he knew he could probably take them out. This was what his life was, anyway. The lion's breathing was distinctly female - as was most lion's he was around - but it was louder then what he knew it ought to be for a lioness. It had to be male… or maybe, Kovu wrinkled his muzzle, _Simba_. He drew close.

Without any fanfare, the nearly year-old lion scaled the log and tackled his quarry down to the ground. They tussled in descending with Kovu easily getting the upper hand over him. The two arrived in a crumpled heap of legs and arms. Feeling the lion's pressure, Kovu let the underside of his foe move under his back feet before kicking him off. He was about to attack when Kovu saw that it was only a lioness and one that was younger than himself at that. She looked straight into his eyes with fear brimming in hers as she froze up, terrified.

There was a flash of recognition then.

"_You_?"

Kovu backed away from the Pride Lander and felt his balance began to shift. The limber but thin lion found that he had stepped onto a pile of logs that led down to a calm dam on the far side of the gorge. He fixed his wide eyes up on the lioness and stumbled down the pile of wood. Before he knew it, she was calling down to him. Her voice grew louder and a little shriller until she released a "yah!" sound and started slipping down the logs as Kovu had.

When the lion finally rose to his feet the familiar lioness was still being thrown by the force of gravity and he barely flinched back in time as she broke her clumsy fall by thrusting her paws in front of herself. "Uh…" the lioness looked up and smiled nervously. "Hi… there."

"Wait," He moved away from her. "Are you the same lioness I met? A long time ago."

Realization struck the lioness. "You're that lion! Kovu."

"Keera?"

She tilted her chin down to the side shyly. "Kiara."

"Kiara," the lion repeated.

They moved towards each other slowly.

"Kiara!" An outraged voice called out for her.

"Oh, no, Dad."

'Dad?'

Kovu shuddered as memory confirmed his fears.

~.~

When Kiara turned back to the Outlander, he had disappeared. Gasping, the lioness looked over her shoulder to see him running back in the direction of the land she was still forbade from going to. Kovu scaled a tiny hill with thinned yellow grass and stopped on top of the knoll. His head tilted forward, showing the line of mane running down along his back, and he turned with saddened eyes back at her. Kiara pawed forward, tempted to run after him.

"Kiara!"

The lion dropped his head in dejection and skirted down the craggy edge of the gorge.

"No!" Kiara took a few steps. "Kovu…"

"Kiara!" Her father's voice raised a pitch, becoming more flustered.

The lioness pressed her ears flat down and turned to see that the gazelle had regrouped below in a shallow gully where there was some rock formations to hide behind. She turned to give the escaping Kovu one final glance before blatantly heading off to stalk the herd. If her father didn't think she was capable of taking care of herself, she would prove it to him.

And, Kiara noted silently, prove it to herself.

To be continued…

~ Lavenderpaw ~


	7. Precendence in the Pridelands: Pt 3 of 3

**A/N:** Happy V-day!

**I.**

Simba scouted from the top of the rocky hill crest where he thought he had heard his little girl's voice. The herds of gazelle were scattering but his wife's and pride's scent wasn't in their general direction… putting his nose to the ground and really concentrating, the king could pick up on a vaguely familiar lion scent, followed by one that he'd know anywhere.

"Kiara," he breathed.

Heading down away from the dammed part of the gorge, Simba made his way into a fairly desolate, rock cluttered gully. The gazelle looked to be trying to hide behind the odd stone formations as a reddish-gold figure crouched along in advancement towards them silently.

"KIARA!" Simba called out in disbelief.

The lioness whipped her head around right before the horned creatures scattered. He saw no signs of the shock on her face, let alone the annoyance in her eyes. Simba watched as she took off for no comprehensible reason, still giving chase after the gazelle. What was she doing? Kiara knew her father was coming! Why was his daughter trying get away from him?

Simba could feel his heart pounding harder as he chased the half-grown cub down further into the land, she kept at a determined pace after the gazelle and kept deliberately avoiding her father at all costs. His fear kept rising as Kiara drew nearer to her prey's back hooves.

"No," He gained speed enough to where he could just reach out and grab her, "Kiara."

At her name Kiara turned her head, wrinkled her muzzle at him and turned back around in time to be brazenly kicked across the eye by a gazelle. Simba panicked, clawed the creature in anger and sent it flying into the rest of the herd. Kiara stumbled away from everyone and Simba struggled to catch her. This resulted in them both tumbling down into the middle of the gully together. The lion clutched at his daughter as long as he could before she slipped.

"Kiara!" He landed in a thudding sprawl. "Ohh…"

Groaning, Simba slowly rose to his paws and turned his attention to where Kiara lay.

The lion's eyes widened on her motionless form, shoulder sticking up and legs twisted.

"Kiara…" He reached out for her.

She remained still.

"Ki_a_ra," His voice cracked as he touched her little arm.

"Mm…" The lioness murmured.

Simba drew his paw back, startled.

"Daddy?" Kiara asked. He stood still with his mouth still open. "How come I can't hunt?"

After a moment to collect himself, the king shut eyes and lowered his head.

~.~

They walked slowly through the setting sun of the savannah together.

Every time Kiara thought that her father wasn't looking she would glance up to see him.

He would not be walking.

"Daddy?"

The lion wouldn't answer.

When they had made some distance away from the gorge and even further from their home lands Simba finally stopped and sat down. Kiara waited for him for a long moment before he moved his head just enough to see her out of the corner of his eye and nodded his approval.

Suddenly rendered shamefaced, the princess stepped around her father and saw down also.

"Dad-,"

"See this." He cut her off and pointed at a large paw imprint that looked wearied and old.

"Yes."

"This… was made by your grandfather, Mufasa."

"Who?"

Simba didn't go into detail as he directed his paw in the direction of a smaller one.

"This one was made by your older brother, Kopa. The one on the left is mine as a cub."

Kiara flicked her tail back and forth, wrapping it around her skinned knees.

"What about it?"

When her father looked down at her blackened eye she felt both of them tear up. As Kiara lowered her head in registering of his anguish, the big lion hugged her close to his side. He breathed gently with Kiara beside him now and she felt her father was holding on to her like she was his life line; now Kiara could do nothing in that moment except cuddle closer to him.

"Let me tell you a story." He said quietly.

**II. **One week before Kiara's hunt; a weekend getaway …

"I can't believe Timon and Pumbaa let us stay here." Timira noted as the others drank.

"Ugh," Aisha shook the water from her muzzle, "I can't believe we have to share it with Timon's family." She leered over at the wary merekats. "Hey, Kiara, what do you think?"

The lioness looked up from where she stood on the farthest side next to Shani.

"What'd you mean?"

She snickered. "Well, you obviously know merekats since your such buddies with Timon."

"Who else gets their own idiot entourage?"

Shani, Kiara and Aisha both turned in surprise to stare at their middle sister.

"Oh, uh…"

Aisha and Shani looked at each other, then at Kiara and burst out laughing.

"You think that's _funny_?" She spat at them and took off across the shallow pool.

They all watched as she stopped and grinned back at them all before leaning in to drink.

"What are you doing?" Shani asked.

Her answer was to let the waterfall envelop her muzzle as she guzzled her fill.

This time they gave each other perplexed looks as Kiara slipped through the downpour.

"Well, go check and see if she's okay."

"Me!.?" Timira gawked.

"You are the one that made fun of her." Shani argued.

Aisha inclined her head towards the waterfall. "Go on, now." she smiled impishly.

The lioness mumbled a few words under her breath before tentatively moving forward.

"Uh, Kiara… you know you have your first hunt in seven days. You can't get hurt or hide out or whatever… Kiara?" She stuck her head in the streaming rush of water only to have herself pulled in by an unseen force. Shani followed after her friend, worried that they could be hurt.

"Timira?" She disappeared into the falls. "Kiara?"

"Guys." Aisha said seriously.

Neither of the lionesses resurfaced.

"Guys, I'm not kidding." She eventually waded through the pool. "Come out of there!"

Suddenly, two pairs of paws grabbed Aisha and pulled her in.

Kiara and her managed to wrestle around before the lioness pinned her face up.

"I did it." She grinned from ear-to-ear down at the older female, her fur dripping wet.

"Did _what_?" Aisha demanded, rolling from underneath her.

"Pinned ya." Shani said as her and Timira flanked Kiara on both sides.

The lioness glared angrily at her future queen.

"So?"

She watched as Kiara pressed her tongue against her teeth before making a hissing noise and squirting out water - right into Aisha's face. Once she stumbled back, the four sisters all started wrestling around together and enjoying themselves, unaware of their watchful spy.

...

Kovu hadn't meant to rediscover his elusive Pride Lander for a third time. Zira had gotten wind of merekats making their home in a small desert oasis about a day and a half outside of the Outlands. He had journeyed here, a mission by his mother to put all of his hard work and training to a final test; Kovu had already pillaged the unsuspecting ground dwellers and taken a few as his prize when he had gotten thirsty. Now, Kovu saw, he had company. All the noise they made was enough to tell him that he was dealing with some Pride Landers.

They called themselves lions, it was enough to make him sick.

That's when he spotted Kiara laughing and stepping away from the others.

At the sight of her he stepped back and broke a branch.

"Who's there?" One of the other lionesses said.

"Hello?" Kiara started to walk towards the ferns that shielded Kovu.

The lion froze.

"Timon?" She spoke again, this time angrily.

Remembering what Kovu would have to undertake in less then a week, he retreated.

"Hello?" Her voice grew louder. "Hello!"

And as her tone heightened, so did the would-be king's doubts.

To be continued…

~ Lavenderpaw ~


	8. From crosshairs, to crossfires Pt 1 of 3

Crosshair - _Zira's plot to use Kiara's trust in Kovu to kill Simba goes into motion._

Crossfire - _Kiara's unwitting trust in Kovu leads to unintended problems for Zira._

**A/N:** What? I thought it was catchy. ;)

**I. **Kiara's first hunt…

"Today's your day." One of Kiara's aunts said to her.

"Good luck, Kiara." A second - possibly third - cousin chimed in.

"My, how you've grown." Her last living grandmother echoed the pride's encouragement.

She took their positives in, of course. With her father finally letting her hunt it was clear to the lioness that he was secretly, and reluctantly, paving the way for Kiara's adulthood at long last. It was an exciting experience to be sure, if only her so-called friends could even begin to support her. Kiara felt a stab of oncoming hurt as she past the regal-acting Aisha.

A wide, almost cruel smile crossed her muzzle. "Hey _princess_, good luck." she mocked.

"Thanks." Kiara flashed her a confident look.

"Good luck, Kiara." Shani said with a simple smile.

"Thanks." the lioness repeated her earlier answer, this time genuinely.

...

Simba looked on as his daughter headed for the tall, green grasses of the Pride lands.

'Oh, Lion King.'

The presence of Timon and Pumbaa was comforting to him now. "Make sure she doesn't get hurt." he muttered to them as soon as the lionesses had moved inside, allowing the young ones to go about their hunting practices until the senior hunters undertook their night shift.

As Simba watched his friends' antics ensue while following his daughter, he also took note that Chaka - a cub who had been in Kula's litter along with his daughter Shani, was sprawled out lazily. Very rarely did Simba give much thought to him, nor did he have the bravado to ostracize a lion that carried his blood. Still, the king knew that today was an important day.

Hopefully Simba's only male offspring knew this too.

"Chaka."

The black-haired, dark yellow furred lion rose to his feet and padded over.

"Your highness?" He asked, a little surprised.

"Make sure _they -_," Simba indicated the meerkat and warthog, "Don't get hurt."

Chaka took a step back. "Sir…?"

"Please."

The lion shrugged and took off after Aisha, Shani and Timira who had already left.

"What have I gotten myself into…" Simba heard the young male mumble.

This caused him to smile.

~.~

The antelope's ears became erect with the approach of the inexperienced lioness.

'Okay… okay…' Kiara thought as she walked along behind a shelf of outcropping.

"Hey, princess!"

She gasped and stepped on a twig which immediately triggered their running extinct.

"Eh!" the lioness grunted with effort as she streamlined for a large-looking antelope.

"That's right!" Timira called out from another outcropping the lionesses laid on.

"Go for the strongest one."

"Guys." Shani shot them a look.

Kiara saw none of it as she barreled down into the yellow-tinged grass.

Two animals shrieked as she paused, breathing heavily.

"Timon, what are you doing here?"

"Eh… shopping! You know, for the den. A couple throw rugs, some potpourri…"

The hard truth reigned over Kiara's final belief. "My father sent you didn't he?"

Timon and Pumbaa looked at one another speechlessly.

"After he _promised _to let me do this on my own he _lied_."

"No…" The merekat tried to reason, even with the chuckling in the distance.

"Then why?"

"He just doesn't want you to get hurt."

Kiara shook her head. "I should have known he'd never give me a real chance."

She bolted towards the Pride land's borders.

"Hey, where ya goin'!.?" Timon called out.

"I'm gonna do this on my own, away from the Pride lands!"

"Kiara!" Pumbaa struggled to keep after her.

"Yeesh, somebody get a boomerang strapped to this kid!"

~.~

"Well," Aisha rose from her spot in the center of the gray rock. "I think we've seen all we need to see." As her and Timira walked away the lioness noticed something odd. "Shani?"

"How could you."

"How could I _what_?"

"Both of you!" The lioness whirled on her friends. "You're always making fun of her."

Timira lifted her head in surprise. "Shani-,"

"Don't start." She warned the youngest of the three. "I can't believe on the most crucial day of Kiara's life, you put her down so harshly that now she'll probably run away. Don't you two realize how heartbroken Simba would be? We're adults now." Aisha tried to talk.

"_Enough_," Shani put her paw down, glaring into the blue-gray lion's eyes, "Is enough."

The two sisters looked at one another, back at Shani and turned their backs in leaving; and also in resignation. From behind the outcropping Chaka approached his sibling. She stood in deep silence as she watched her two best friends return to Pride Rock without her. The male lion came over and nuzzled her under the chin, reaffirming that he still cared for her.

"Go after her."

"Why? Timon and Pumbaa have it."

"Please," Shani looked at him. "I don't want her to get hurt."

Chaka sighed raggedly and started out towards the Outlands.

"And Chaka."

He turned.

"Don't pick up any Outlander lionesses on your way back."

The lion grinned. "Oh, come on. How much trouble do you think Kiara could get into?"

To be continued…

~ Lavenderpaw ~


	9. From crosshairs, to crossfires pt 2 of 3

**I. **Kovu's time…

Kiara reflected in his impassive green eyes, terrified and shrieking.

He watched as the flames lashed and danced around the barely flammable lands. They had just started to heal and now they were being burned to the ground. The prince stood like a pillar looking over what his mother had instilled unto him as _his _kingdom. She only wanted what was rightfully Scar's, the only way to settle this was by facing his undeniable destiny.

"The plan is in motion…" Zira said with the seductive satisfaction he knew she got.

'Who's plan?'

"Go!"

Without emotion - as he was never allowed to show it around his mother - Kovu entered the fire-drenched fray. Heat generated from all sides of him as he followed the small parts of the land that remained unaffected. Kovu saw the lioness dashing toward one of the tall rocky overhangs on the border of the Outlands. It was amazing how fast and quick-witted she was… despite other things. As she took a leap for the rock face, Kovu diverged down.

The bright orange of the first flames seemed to grow darker, replaced by an almost magma pigmentation the deeper the Outlander dove. Somehow the feeling seemed to meld into all that his mother had tried to force into his heart and Kovu couldn't help but feel the surge of devious excitement rising inside. He seemed to blend in perfectly with the fire as he finally managed to find a jagged path up to the peak, emerging as Kiara fell slanted to the earth.

Although suffocating, Kovu managed to ignore the smoke due to his training and stepped up to the lioness as she lay sideways. A hint of consciousness flickered and she peered up at him. Kovu flashed his teeth down, bearing them so that she could see his determination.

Then at once Kiara slumped over.

Intrigued at seeing her up close, Kovu slid his paw under her muzzle and lifted it.

What was it about her that he couldn't get out of his mind? That was it, he couldn't hardly remember anything after he and Kiara had been taken away as cubs. And now, even as he felt the urge to shield her from the rising flames, Kovu could only manage to maneuver the surprisingly heavy lioness over his shoulders. With a firm acceptance he started at a sprint.

His notion was correct.

For the first time Kovu felt frightened as the fire rose around him at least twenty feet high.

"_You have the same conniving mind_…"

A burning tree branch fell in front of him in which he narrowly dodged.

"_Tomorrow your training…_" Forever. _Your. _Training…

Kovu bolted back as two walls of fire enveloped him on both sides.

They appeared dangerously in his eyes, coaxing the lion to act.

Sets of teeth inside of enormous mouths mocked Kovu.

"_What did you think you were doing? Who made us… who must you… who killed…_"

"Scar." He finished.

"_Simba!" _

From the outer fortress, the dark brown lion pierced the flames with his body and fell in a backward spiral into a part of the boggy swamp below - the biggest body of water that led to the eventual dividing point of the Outlands and Pride Lands. Kovu slipped away for just a brief moment, he tried to remember the events prior to his training... and found he couldn't.

When the lion popped his head out of the water he spotted Kiara.

Gasping, Kovu dove back in and managed to catch her around the scruff of the neck. Even as he paddled back to shore, the lion could still feel her weight almost dragging him down. Did these Pride Landers really eat _that _well? Even Kovu wasn't this well fed and he had all the extra meat the Outlanders scrounged together for himself. Eventually the pair reached a small, sandy spot and Kovu dragged Kiara across it. He stood up, shaking the water off before looking at her with dissatisfaction at her pitiful state. Couldn't he have done better?

When she started to stir Kovu gave a smile at her laughable performance.

The Pride Lander princess had spirit, he'd give her that.

To be continued…

~ Lavenderpaw ~


	10. From crosshairs, to crossfires pt 3 of 3

**I. **

"Wh-where am I?" Kiara asked dreamily.

Kovu's earlier smile quickly vanished.

"You're…_safe._" his lips turned down. "In the Pride lands."

"What… the Pride Lands? No! Why did you bring me here? Who do you think you are?"

The lion stepped back, somewhat masked from the Pride Lander in the fire's orange halo.

"Uh! I think I'm the one that just saved your life."

"Look, I had everything under control." Kiara fired back.

"Not from where I'm standing."

"Then move downwind…"

Biding his time, Kovu bounded smoothly in front of her. Seeing the inexperienced female's irritation brought him an odd kind of subversive pleasure. They continued their familiar kid game for a few more seconds until Kiara turned away in complete disregard of him. Kovu went agape. "How can you be so ungrateful?" She walked. "Hey! What is your problem?"

"_My _problem?" the lioness flung over her shoulder.

"Yeah, _you're _problem." Kovu glanced over her head and saw that the fire was brimming the tall cliff of rock they had tumbled over. Once he caught Kiara's eye and realized what she intended to do he bolted forward, planning to intercede a final time. "Oh no ya don't!"

The lioness was nearly to the water's edge when Kovu plopped down like a rock.

"What are you doing!.?" He demanded in honest concern.

Something in her eyes changed and a smile edged at the corners of her mouth. "Kovu."

It had been a statement, not a question.

The lion smiled back.

"Kiara!" An agonizingly familiar voice called out.

'Oh no, not-,"

"_Roar_! _Roar_!" The booming sound was accompanied by a flash of fangs and claws.

Kovu responded with several guttural utterances of his own.

What was wrong with these spoiled Pride Landers anyway?

"Simba," his wife chastised the lion.

The younger male caught sight of her and smiled. 'Well,' he debated. 'Most Pride Landers.'

~.~

After a tumultuous time trying to convince everyone to let him stay, Kovu finally found his view a bit better then what he was used to in the giant termite mound. Green fields with a great abundance of life settled down for the night, African birds actually graced the orange and pink streaked sky while the noises of insects were plentiful. Kovu felt a strange feeling of peace roll over him as he started for Pride Rock's den; along with his accomplishments.

The smugness was cut short on his part when Simba skirted in front of him, growling.

Leery-eyed, the lion prowled into the soft darkness and out of sight.

"Mm." One of the younger lionesses eyed Kovu off on the side. "What'd you think girls?"

"I don't know." Another commented, disinterested.

"Think I could score myself an Outlander."

"Definitely Aisha, unless of course…"

"Don't even think about it."

The unwelcome sight of the only other male lion caught Kovu's attention as he stood with his back turned halfway toward the edge of Pride Rock, watching the stronger and weaker links in the Pride entering. He had been taught to always go for the strongest. To hunt was to take out weaker prey of course, but Zira had instilled in her son a need to do better then settle. And so Kovu was not going to settle… at least not after tomorrow. He met the eye of the young male lion stalling to watch him before baring his teeth at him. The big cat balked back and copied Kovu before lumbering off pitifully in retreat. Unsatisfied, Kovu walked off.

He was settled down on the cool, precarious edge when someone familiar approached.

"Um, hey…" Kiara smiled timidly. "Thanks for saving me today."

Kovu rose to his forearms, peering at her lowered face with pretend hurt.

"And?" he huffed.

"And… I'm sorry for the way I treated you back there."

"Huh," Kovu scoffed, unimpressed. "What kind of hunter are you anyways _Princess_?"

He somehow derived no amusement out of mocking her.

"You almost got yourself killed out there."

"What?" She said flatly.

The lion stood up, giving it another try. "You wouldn't last three days on your own."

Kiara measured him with her gaze. "Oh, and I suppose a _Prince _could teach me?"

He chuckled. "Yeah."

"Kiara!"

Kovu pressed down on his lips to keep from cracking up.

"Ooo… Daddy calls."

She called back into the distance before leaping in front of the lion.

"All right! Impress me." Her muzzle was inches from his own. "We start at dawn."

Kovu dipped his head down, loving her obliviousness. "I look forward to it."

And just like always, he would.

To be continued…

**A/N:** As I've said before, I do incorporate my own pieces and parts into the story. When I can't do this or I don't feel it's extremely vital to repeat what the movie already has done than I skip it. And yet I do try to stick as close to the actual dialogue/events that correlate with my own additions as I can. BTW, Simba and Kovu have fathered litters from all or most of the lionesses in their prides. That's what lions do. Just like Scar and Mufasa did this also.

End of 'that' story.

~ Lavenderpaw ~


	11. Caught in between pt 1 of 3

**I.**

Kovu watched, bored and unaccomplished, as the lioness _stalked_ him through the grass. It wasn't his fault, Kiara had ambushed him as he had set the vulnerable king in sights. A few minutes had turned into three hours by now and the prince had resigned himself to giving a few pointers to the _princess_. Pointers turned into lessons, which then turned into critiques.

Kiara simply wasn't trainable.

"Hey, Kovu." The lioness named Aisha from the previous day accosted him.

He turned a few inches her way, sizing up the three females lounging on a large rock.

"Once you're done with the princess, could I have a turn?"

The lion rolled his eyes up in thought, pondered, and then turned back to her. "_Yeah_…"

Aisha perked up hopefully.

"No." He finished.

"Ah!"

"Ah," Kovu mimicked, grinning.

"Let's go girls." She said huffily, leading her friends away.

One of them, a far more attractive red-brown lioness, smiled his way.

Kovu shook his head. "Posers."

"Oh!"

The inevitable tackle was on him.

"Three, two…" Kovu sighed. "One."

"Got'cha!"

She tumbled head over paws to take the lion down. When he rose and saw her sprawled out on her back Kovu knew why he found the lioness so amusing; Kiara was so blissfully unaware of how inept she really was. Still, Kovu humored her by coming to look down at her. The contiuous mishaps weren't lost on the cat. "You could hear me, huh?" she stated.

"Only… a lot." He moved away, explaining considerately to the Pride Lander. "You're still breathing too hard. Relax. Feel the earth between your claws so it doesn't shift and make noise." Kovu caught sight of some birds in the distance. "Shh. Watch the master…

_And_. Learn." He got in her face, saying pointedly. Kiara sent him a withering expression.

It was with that being said that Kovu found himself in the realm of something new: fun.

"Ah! Please, don't eat me. I never really meant your tyrant. Oh, Scar! One heck of a guy."

Kovu gaped.

"A little moody, but…"

"Hey, hey. It's okay. I'm not gonna eat you." the lion reassured the merekat in his paws.

"You… aren't? Phew! I thought you'd remember me."

"Oh, I do."

"You… you what."

"The fuzzy maraca king." Kovu turned deadpan.

"You remember that?"

"I have a very good memory."

And the Outlander continued to get sidetracked, before he had a chance to ponder why he was doing what he was doing; Kovu and Kiara were chasing after the flock of birds once more before nearly colliding with a crash of rhinos. He experienced a spike of adrenaline that he hadn't had since he was younger when Kiara somehow ended up pressed against his nose. They mumbled in embarrassment as they pried themselves from a rock opening.

"OK, that was pretty crazy. But you've gotta admit it was fun."

The euphoric feeling fizzled off as Kovu rested his calmed green eyes on her.

"Yeah… fun."

"Hey," Timon called over to them. "You two comin' or what?"

Once they exited the shadows that cast down from the high rock face, Kovu caught sight of himself in a pool of water. The lion he saw was strangely content. This made him reel back in shock. How long had it been since Kovu had seen himself clearly? He tried baring his teeth like the night before, he tried to summon the anger and angst he normally felt or the numbness that usually befell him otherwise, but for some reason Kovu could not do it.

"Kovu?"

He looked over at Kiara who had paused to stare at him uncertainly.

"Are you coming?"

The lion glanced over sideways and saw Simba walking with the hornbill who had dubbed him a 'riff-raff'. Kovu then looked down at the dirt floor below him, thinking things out a moment before meeting her red-brown eyes again and smiling. "Yeah, I'm coming." he let his attention focus totally on her. When Kovu looked at his reflection again, he believed it.

To be continued…

~ Lavenderpaw ~


	12. Caught in between pt 2 of 3

**I.**

"All right, you stand like that…" a voice from the distance spoke before fading off.

The second-to-youngest lioness in the pride approached with caution. Queen Nala stood on a small hill knoll observing the action down below. With a calming breath, Shani came up from behind to sit beside her. "What are they doing down there?" she asked in interest.

"Oh, something Simba never bothered to let Kiara learn enough of. When I was younger I had to learn to hunt on my own. Hmm, you'd think he would want her watched closer." A gleam of intrigue marked Nala's green-blue eyes. Shani only sat in silent awe of her poise.

Several moments passed.

"Everything okay?" the queen asked, turning to her.

"How - how can you trust him like that? After what happened all that time ago…"

Nala looked back down at her second born child and Shani pressed her lips shut.

"It's not that you grow numb to shock or change, it's just that you have to learn to accept life as it comes," She told her niece as Kovu was showing Kiara the proper way to crouch.

"Sounds pretty self-explanatory." Shani said.

Nala gave a deep-throated chuckle. "For example…"

~.~

"Good. Good. Now, just extract your claws out when I say-,"

The Outlander paused, peering up with wide eyes at Simba's wife. She was younger than his mother but the knowing cast to her appearance unnerved the young prince. He took a moment to assess where his paws were and then hesitantly met her eyes again. A smooth smile tugged at the corners of her mouth before she shook her head, causing him to drop back down to the ground. Kiara questioned him but he only kept looking up as Nala left.

One of the younger sisters smiled modestly down at him before trailing after her.

"Well… chasing your babysitters was fun and all. But what else do you do?"

The red-gold lioness craned her head back in thought.

"How long do we have until the sun goes down?"

"Hmm…" Kovu turned his head toward the west, "a couple hours, why?"

Kiara smiled.

…

"Oh, look! A baby jackolope. See the horns and fluffy tail?" the Pride Lander said.

"Yeah…" the lion paused from pointing, wrinkling his muzzle at Kiara. "A jackolope?"

She nodded insistently. "_Yeah_."

"OK." He searched the skies. "Hey, there's one that looks like two lions killing each other

over a scrap of meat." Kovu earned a perplexed look. "Oh, I've never done this before."

Her face fell more in consideration then confusion. "Really? Me and my father used to do this all the time…" His green eyes moved over onto her. "We used to do a lot together."

"Really?"

"Yeah, he say's all of the Great Kings are up there; watching over us."

"D'ya think Scar is up there?"

When Kovu caught Kiara's gaze again she looked almost upset.

"Forget I mentioned it."

"No, I don't think he's up there."

They were silent for a long while.

~.~

"I don't know how you feel about it. But do you think he got what he deserved…"

Kiara looked Kovu's way.

"In the end, I mean." He hastened to finish.

She thought out her response a moment. "No."

"Oh, you think he deserved worst."

"No." Kiara sat up and looked down at him, troubled. "No one deserves to die like that."

"In power." Kovu got to his paws as well. "In a time of prosper."

"Alone." She corrected him. "Bitter."

"Who are you talking about, Princess?"

Through her night vision Kiara could see that her 'friend' was growing uncomfortable.

"Scar."

His eyes went wide and he started to move away.

"Who were you talking about?"

Kovu sighed deeply as he sat a distance away from her. "Do you want to talk about Scar?"

Kiara stalled from approaching him. "Only if you're not afraid to talk about Mufasa."

The lion continued anyway. "He wasn't my father, but Scar was still… a part of me."

"My father says there was a darkness in Scar in which he couldn't escape."

She sensed him turn to her with his eyes closed.

"Would you turn your back on me?"

"After you saved my life? Why!.?"

He was deathly quiet for a second or two.

"Maybe there's a... darkness in me too."

Kiara nudged Kovu gently under the chin, pressing herself against his chest.

"I would never turn my back on you, just don't turn your back on *me* first."

She felt him smile into her fur.

**II.**

Dawn glowed a calming pink on the horizon as Kovu walked Kiara back to Pride Rock restfully, humming a duet that had originally been a solo and then a chorus. The lion nosed her gently.

"It just takes two…"

"… To make it through!"

Then, in a fluid final line: "Your he - ar… ar… AR… _ART, _will take you there."

Kiara listened as Kovu sang to himself. "Down in Upendi. Down in Upendi…"

"In Upendi!" She finished before they both shared a laugh together.

~.~

The lioness turned to look at her friend fondly.

"Good night," he beat her to the punch.

"Good night."

They both shared a final nuzzle when Kovu stepped back and looked her over specutatively.

"Princess."

Kiara's jaw dropped before she turned away so that he couldn't see her eyes mist up. The lion turned to look over at the end of Pride Rock when she walked over quickly and gave him a lap on the cheek. Afraid that he would see her tears, Kiara headed for the shrouded den.

She felt Kovu watching after her all the way.

To be continued…

~ Lavenderpaw ~


	13. Caught in between pt 3 of 3

****

I.

Kovu flopped down at the very end of Pride Rock, careful not to go over the edge. Right over the slumbering lands daybreak hovered on the horizon. The sun was starting to rise and push up on the deep pink horizon so that a majestic red started to swath it. Kovu had never seen the beauty of sunrise like this before, in fact, he had never been allowed out of the termite hill until everyone else was awake. He lifted his head up, musing on something.

" 'What is your destiny_…_?' "

" 'I will avenge Scar, take his place in the Pride Lands…' "

" _'Good… _What have I taught you_?' "_

The voice in Kovu's head grew fiercer, " '_Simba_. Is. The. _Enemy_.' "

" 'And what… must… you… _do_?' "

He looked down at his paws before resting his chin on them. 'What will I do?'

"A-hem."

Kovu turned, stunned.

Simba faltered for that moment. "It's… kind of cold tonight, huh?"

The sentence fell flat, the king dropped his shoulders in an exhale.

"Come on in."

Elated, Kovu practically jumped to his feet. Simba past a look at him over his shoulder before leading the younger male into the den. That sense of peace Kovu had yearned for all of his life, that fulfillment and accomplishment was being presented to him now. They were a quarter of the way there when he paused. " 'I must _kill _him.' " his voice growled.

"Kovu?" Simba said presently. "Are you all right?"

The lion had his claws out as he fought the urge forced upon him since he was a cub.

"I…" He tensed up a bit more, thought about where he was and then relaxed. "I'm fine."

The two met eyes again.

"Thank you, Simba." Kovu eased a smile across his mouth. Nothing was going to happen.

No one was going to abuse him for not following orders.

Simba smiled a little unsurely before leading him in the rest of the way.

…

Red spattered to the ground at the queen's feet.

There were startled gasps that Kovu heard in sequences from around himself.

Simba, in a fertile position, lay unharmed with his back to the Pride Landers and Outsider.

"Kovu," the friendlier of the lionesses came up beside him. "You loved her. How could you?"

Vitani slinked up from an unknown place, her face shadowed. "Good work, Kovu."

The lion's older brother came to stand on his available side. "That's how he was trained."

"Who?" Kovu approached the unknown, lacerated lioness. "Who are you?"

There was a moment where the lioness caught her breath before she turned to him.

He gasped, stepping back. "No."

"Am I still breathing too hard?"

Kiara's face was almost beyond recognition with her slash marks, yet she spoke normally.

"Kovu?"

"No!" He yelled at the top of his lungs, running headlong away from the bloodshed.

"Excellent job, Kovu. Now you will take your rightful place as… _king_."

"NO!" His desperate renouncing echoed through the night swathed chambers.

…

"No!" The lion jumped awake with a jolt.

When Kovu looked down he saw Kiara was sleeping on her side still, a peaceful look on her face. A further examination revealed that the other Pride Landers were fast asleep as well. Disturbed, he headed for the mouth of the den and stepped out into the blurry sun.

"OK, I have to tell her today… oh, where do I start?" When Kovu was far enough to the edge he tried some role-playing: "Kiara, Zira had a plot. And _I _was a part of it, but I don't

want to be. No, that bites. Kiara, say you're a would-be assassin for your parent but then

you fall in love with your target's child. What do you do?" the lion eyed an alighting roller.

"Squawk."

"Well, no. See, I can't complete the mission, because, well. I care about you… a lot."

The small bird flew away.

Kovu sighed. "She'll never believe me. But I've got to try."

Kiara appeared unscathed at the entrance of Pride Rock's den.

"Kovu, about what you said last night… or what you were starting to say, at least."

"Right." He hesitated a moment before speaking fast. "Kiara, I need to talk to you."

"Kiara-I-don't-want-you-talking-with-him."

Kovu made a small turn, ready to run.

Simba's head came down from the faint morning shadows. "_I _want to talk with him."

'Bird droppings.' he thought before realizing he had stepped in some.

To be continued…

~ Lavenderpaw ~

**A/N:** The next chapter will be longer... and more scripted over by yourstruly.

Much Kovu angst to be had. ;)


	14. Underfire

**I.**

Kiara looked on from the summit closest to the lands below.

"It's all right, Kiara." Shani tried to reassure her as she came up beside her half sister. "Your father trusts him, the pride trusts him, even your babysitters trust him…"

The two shared a smile.

"I know, it's just that I'm worried that something might happen."

"Well, you're right about one thing." Aisha came to stand near the lower half of the rock.

"What's that, Aisha?" the mahogany lioness asked, still on tense terms from two days ago.

"The pride _is _on her side. Most of us anyway," she looked up, "including your mother."

…

"My son was killed by the paw of one of the Outlanders."

Kovu closed his eyes in thought as he followed the king through the aftermath of the fire.

"Why?"

"Like your mother, Scar couldn't let go of his anger and in the end it destroyed him."

The younger lion opened his eyes and looked up, convinced about his resolve.

"I've never heard the story of Scar told that way before… he truly was a killer."

A haunted look crossed Simba's broad face and he turned his head towards the charred trees. "_Fire_ is a killer. Sometimes the next generation can grow better then the one before it…" He leaned down and smiled encouragingly at his unsure charge. "If given the chance."

The truth was harder then Kovu had surmised.

"All this time, she was using me… Her own son. As, as a weapon!"

Simba's face fell. "What do you mean by that?"

Kovu's horror was still in tact.

"Hmm. Hmm. Hmm. Hmm."

From the thick black haze the Outlanders emerged.

"No, no…" His nightmare came creeping back.

Zira appeared just as she always had. "Well done, Kovu. _Just _like we always planned."

"You!" Simba's kindness evaporated instantly.

"No, no I didn't have anything to do with this!"

"Attack!"

"No!"

The lion was quickly shoved aside as his aunts, nieces and cousins pilled onto one of the few lions who had ever accepted him for who he was. Kovu tried to push them back and get to him. It couldn't end like this. Not when he had done so well with others in such a short amount of time. The bodies didn't seem to end as they turned on him just as fast as Simba had. Kiara's voice rang in his head: " 'Don't turn your back on me.' " She'd find out.

"No!" the lion thrust his claws into one of the lioness's back.

From out of nowhere, Vitani lunged out at him and caught her brother by the wrists.

"How dare you!.? I saw what happened, Kovu. You've chosen that Pride Lander." Kovu tried to pry her off of himself, she sounded so much like their mother. He knew he would not win; even in their younger days she was always stronger. "Why? Why did you do it?"

"Because…"

Her nose pressed against his cheek dangerously. "_Why_?"

"Because I…" He mustered enough strength to throw her back. "Love her!"

As Kovu managed to get up a lioness accidentally kicked him right into the rock his sister had held him against. The two exchanged solemn looks at Kovu's betrayal as Zira called out another order before they went to join the Outlanders to take down Simba 'as a unit'.

That's what Vitani believed they were. Her mother, brothers, the pride….

They were a unit. They were one.

**II.**

"Give it up, princess." Aisha told her. "Your boyfriend's probably already taken him in."

"It's still mid-day." Kiara turned to glare the lioness's way. "And Kovu would _never_-,"

"You still don't believe me about your father's first born son, do you?"

"Yeah," Timira added in the taunts as she rolled around and basked in the sun.

"If Kovu doesn't finish off Simba, then Simba will want him as the new king."

"And maybe he'll make you his queen."

"Mm-hm. Unless of course Chaka…"

"Young lady!" Kirijah - Aisha and Timira's mother - approached from behind.

"Mom?"

"Mother?" the light gray lioness backed away from the large one.

"Are you still giving grief to Kiara after all of this time, Aisha?"

"Chaka." Kula approached her two cubs. "Shani, I need to speak with you both too."

As the mothers led their offspring away, Kiara saw her mother coming up from behind.

"It's true, isn't it? Daddy and you just used me as a replacement cub all these years."

For the first time in her life her mother didn't come rushing to her side. Kiara had never been very close to Nala but she did love and respect the queen, there had always been a void between the two of them, there had been a distance she didn't share with her father.

That is, until she had reached adolescence.

"Yes, Kiara. His name was Kopa."

The 'princess' looked down at her paws, now feeling entirely alone and abandoned.

**III.**

"They could be planning to attack." Kirijah told Nala when she returned to the lionesses.

"I know that, but we can't assume-,"

"And what about your daughter?" Another lioness asked.

"She's in love with that Outlander child."

Kula and Nala exchanged looks... while Timira and Aisha did as well.

"Leave her be." The queen decided. "She'll already have enough to deal with if it's truth."

"What about what you told me yesterday?" Shani piped up.

The others turned to her.

"You said you trusted him. Maybe you all should see the truth for yourselves."

The lionesses turned as one to see that Kiara still stood outside, waiting.

…

**A/N: **OK, so it's the same length as the others. I've got to keep the ball rolling though.

C'mon, I wanted to update today! Interesting fact, Kirijah was yet another name that the creators wanted to name Kiara. So that's Timiria, Shani, Aisha, Kirijah and finally Kiara!

Thanks LK2 people.

~ Lavenderpaw ~


	15. Their relational retaliation

**A/N: **Fun fact. Remember when those lionesses blocked Kiara from trying to run to Kovu and one of them looks at her like she's concerned? Well, read on to find out who she was!

**I.**

Kovu ran panting from the gorge, his eye was burning and his lungs were thick with such a hard emotion that it took all of his mastery over feelings to swallow. Yes, Outlanders died. But his only brother didn't die. His sister - once his closest family member and the closest to him in age couldn't turn on him. He would never fail his mother. This wasn't what was supposed to happen. In Kovu's mind he would never lose the support of the Outlanders.

A small tide of water nearly hidden in some half-dead undergrowth caught his attention.

Blood trickled down the left side of his face. It was just like in his dream, with Kiara.

The lion pulled away and started to make a run for it when he paused.

All that he had experienced in his last few days returned to Kovu, the slashed prince let his green eyes wander back to where the simple pocket of water was and slowly made his way back to face the lion staring up at him. He wasn't sure how long he stood there, gazing at the lion who mirrored his heavy breaths and eye blink, but Kovu finally lowered his head in decision. With a sharp inhale, he dunked his sticky face into the water and pulled it out with a gasp of air. Kovu saw himself with his drenched mane hanging over one side of his muzzle.

"I am not like Scar…" He dipped his head again. "And I never will be."

The lion had one thought in his mind when he returned to the Pride Lands: 'Kiara.'

…

Everything happened so fast as the Pride Landers proceeded to enact her father's exile on the scarred lion who had pleaded for an appeal. Kiara tried to push her way through to get to Kovu, but Timira and Shani blocked her, the more understanding of the two straining a sympathetic but firm look in her eyes. "No, Kovu!" Kiara called out, but she could not go.

The animals - all those she was supposed to one day rule - chanted as they chased the lion out of the Pride Lands. Kiara caught glimpses and fleeting instances of where Kovu nearly had a gazelle spear his horn into the lion's side or where rocks were thrown at him noisily.

No one seemed to notice her struggle until the lion had been all but expelled from the rich green plains and all of the voices of taunts and accusations had ceased. She nearly charged the two lionesses to run and get closer to her father. How could they turn on her like this?

The Pride Landers, her family, _everyone _had automatically gone against her.

This wasn't how her life was suppose to be, Kiara never thought this would happen!

"Daddy, _please_. Reconsider." the point where he had growled at her still hung heavy.

Simba held himself high with "true" arrogant royalty.

"Father?"

His eyes barely grazed her. "You will not go anywhere without an escort from now on."

She merely stared at him.

"Chaka?"

"Yes, Simba." He approached the king as though he had never been a lazy mooch.

"What!.?"

"He used you to get to me." her father reasoned.

"He _loves _me… for _me_."

It was true, Kovu-,

"Because you are _my_ daughter." The tyrant was back, he turned and got in her face, he was another lion and Kiara was dumbstruck. "You will not leave Pride Rock… you will stay where I can keep an eye on you; Away from him." She bared her teeth in resistance at this new lion.

"You don't know him!"

Her father looked away, lost in his own world.

"I know he's following in Scar's paw prints… and I must follow in my father's."

Kiara looked around in search of support. Her mother was dead silent, forever refusing to not let her father have his own way. She turned to the different animal species, they didn't seem to pay any mind to the lions' family feud. Even her fellow lionesses, her aunts and all of her cousins - least surprisingly the lionesses closest to her in age - did not look her way.

She turned with a broken heart but a will to inflict.

"I am not your queen, your daughter, your _anything_; and you will _never _be Mufasa!"

Her father's jaw dropped.

Kiara's renouncement shocked everyone into frenzied whispers.

"I can't believe she just said that…"

"And to her own father!"

"Kiara." Her mother gasped at her.

Ashamed, the lionesses turned to run for the den.

**II.**

His feet couldn't have traveled faster.

Kovu practically flew down a small grassy hill to the beginning of the black-chocked trees and turned to see that the black dot of the king still stood at the peak of Pride Rock, and even though Kovu knew he was no longer seen the sets of hate-filled eyes did little to fill his empty heart. He bobbed his head down near the small stream of water near his feet, it was just in passing but Kovu thought he saw his reflection distorting. A long, red-orange muzzle stuck out and his mane appeared to be changing to coal-black. Kovu balked at the shocking image and headed through the fire-ravaged forest, on into the start of the desert.

From there he would travel through the unknown, chilly night. The image Kovu had seen started to become less rippled then before. What replaced it was the sad eyes of a golden-brown cub with a small mane tuft; a slain youth, with four bloody slashes across his chest.

…

Dusk settled over the Pride Lands like an aftershock. From around the bend of Pride Rock Kiara came to stand just below the towering rock podium. Her father was stiller then the stone; while the stone could crumble and fall it looked to the lioness like the king had had his body crumble long ago. She felt tears cresting her red-brown eyes as she looked out to the Pride Lands. This was supposed to be her kingdom and Kiara had failed to lay claim to it. Letting her head fall sideway, she now began to make her way across her father's lands.

" 'I'm not just a princess, you know. That's only _half _of who I am' "

" 'Oh?' " her former babysitter asked. " 'Then whose the other half…?' "

She stopped at the edge of a stream where she had last witnessed Kovu.

When Kiara looked down, she saw that half of her face was missing.

The lioness's identity was lost.

…

Nala stood staring at her husband disgustedly.

"How could you do that?" she demanded of him. "It's one thing to turn on that poor cub."

Simba walked away with his eyes closed, moving like a shadow to the hollow den.

"But to act that way to your own daughter!"

He craned his neck up so that his wife could see his eyes.

"She doesn't want to be my daughter anymore," the lion said blankly.

As Simba continued to trudge listlessly inside, Nala's eye caught sight of someone running through the rapidly spreading darkness. "Kiara," she spoke. Amazement fell over her face.

If there was any hope left, it was with her daughter… her daughter, and no one else's.

To be continued…

~ Lavenderpaw ~


	16. Love for his son

****

****

I.

Night had completely overtaken the once red-blazed sky, leaving the sands of the desert with an afterglow of puce. The rising and falling hills of grain moved with faint shadows cast by the small nightlife moving around, barely even noticeable to the naked eye under such inscrutable star light. A small pool of water met the downcast lion's saddened eyes.

He sighed softly and sulked over to take a drink.

Under the low light, Kovu saw that his face was completely obscured even with his lion night vision. His mane formed a curled triangle tip and the only thing he could make out on his face was his lifeless eyes. The young lion bent further down to the water, his nose grazed the top and his breath made small bubbles rise to the surface. Kovu swayed a bit.

'What if I just let go…?' he thought.

A quiet set of feet padded up to the other end of the shallow waterhole.

Kovu brought his nose out on his end and took a deep breath when he noticed the rather large muzzle of the newcomer. His was a dark brown with a pink lesion above his long coal nose. Curiosity overtook Kovu's sorrows for the first time and he lifted his head up to look.

**II.**

Chaka raced across the Pride lands, tailing after Kiara. The lion had never felt the need to be much of anything in his life, he knew that the only chance for him to be king would be when Kiara became queen and he really had never wanted to be wed to his _sister_. Simba had never shown much interest in him except when Kovu had showed up after two years.

Now the lion knew that if he ever hoped to stand a chance, he would have to track Kiara down, defeat Kovu and return her safely home. It was amazing how much Chaka had felt his importance suddenly sky rocket when Simba had appointed him to watch the '_princess_'.

The lion had been assigned to watch her now and again, which he'd never taken seriously in the past, but Chaka had never actually been given such an important task in his life. He was to actually escort her around and protect her from the dirty Outlander. Chaka knew it was crucial to find Kiara and put an end to Scar's heir once and for all. And by doing this, maybe Chaka would have a chance at the throne. Maybe the lion could truly be someone.

Chaka wouldn't just be the annoying brother of the queen's; _he _could be king.

But this could only happen if the lion could take down Kovu.

…

"Who are you?" Kovu barely breathed.

The lion said nothing in response.

Awed, the younger male looked him over. Past scars in shallow and deep pink of various lengths crossed his solid muscle body. Half of his tail had been sliced off and a small bruised stump where his left leg should have been only caused Kovu to gap more at the old rogue.

But when he met the lion's deep emerald eyes, he felt suddenly inferior for the first time in his life. A sense of fear and confusion swept through out his body at the knowledge and of the wisdom this older, much more experienced lion possessed. The unnamed rogue did not look down on his acquaintance however as he stood with expectance hovering in his gaze.

The difference between this and Kovu's mother's was unclear to him.

What did this lion want?

The lion suddenly took a huge inhale of breath and produced a roar that rivaled any Kovu had ever heard before. He almost had to lay down and cover his ears as the guttural noise nearly broke the sound barrier. It was strong, not just in strength but in spirit. And it was proud without being arrogant. Kovu was floored, he let his jaw drop at the power the lion had. This cat was older then himself and possibly even older then the ones in his old pride.

He now waited, expecting Kovu to interact.

It was clear to the ex-prince now... he would never make a good king.

When the young lion turned to look away from him, he sensed that the scarred rogue was still waiting from him to respond. They stayed like this for several long, tedious minutes before the large male finally stepped away and ceased waiting. There was no one left after him for the lion to disappoint. And Kovu realized, eyes rising, _he_ would have no one either.

As the lion started to disappear the younger lion released a tremendous roar in the air.

…

Naba smiled as he turned to vocalize with his fellow Outlander in the triumphant of life.

To be continued…

**A/N:**

Yeah, this chapter's meant to symbolize a 'true' Outlander. Also, for those who didn't know, Naba is a name that was considered along with Chaka around the time of development.

It's reasonable to assume Naba is Kovu and Vitani's father (green eyes) and Nuka is Scar's only son then. But after the demise of so many bloodlines; Mufasa, Taka, Kopa and Nuka, it may be time for a new bloodline to be carried on. Neither Scar nor Mufasa. But Naba/Kovu.

~ Lavenderpaw ~


	17. Belief in her father

**I.**

He ran against her like a rockslide hitting the base of it's uphill residence. From across the sands and down into a golden gully. Her sorrow turned to joy that flourished with the rise of the desert wind. As they embraced, the lioness could actually see new grass springing.

"Come on," Kovu whispered in her ear.

They pranced around the desert floor with boundless energy, invigorated that they had found each other… just like they always had. As a couple of butterflies swirled with the brisk air, Kovu led Kiara further toward a hidden stream of water. From here a darkened pool opened up, and the lioness landed on her mate with tired longing that slowly turned.

She felt a strange sensation start up her inner thighs, tingling through out her lower body. Kovu's green eyes were on her just as they had been the previous night, calm and gentle, deep and meaningful. His tongue made a careful caress across the side of her face. In the throes of pleasure, Kiara moved her head so that she was staring into Kovu's immersion.

As they cuddled closer the lion nodded at their overlapping reflections in the water.

"Look," he smiled. "_We_ are one."

A smile touched her own mouth, as well as realization.

"What?"

An echo of voices came to Kiara, pervading her fantasized reality.

…

"What if I don't want to be queen! It's no fun…" the lioness's sad puce eyes moved up.

Her father looked upon her in skepticism.

"… And everyone makes fun of me."

"Kiara, your place is to mind me. And understand that what I'm doing is best for you."

"But Daddy-,"

"Saying what you did is like saying you don't want to be a lion, it's in your blood."

The present started to return.

"As I am. We are part of each other…"

…

"Come on!"

Kiara snapped back to the desert totally.

Kovu was over a ways, shaking his hips from side to side.

"We'll… run away together!" he chuckled deviously. "And start a pride _all_ our own."

"Heh." She shook her head in amusement. "Kovu, we have to go back."

His good humor left him. "What? You're kidding. But we're finally together…"

"Our place is with our pride. If we leave now, they'll be divided forever."

The lion dropped his head in defeat.

"Kovu?" Kiara coaxed.

He turned his head to the east. A big, beautiful sun of sparkling crimson was engulfing the skyline. The stars were starting to fade into their mysticism and the opportunity that both the lions had sought their entire lives was beckoning to them with absolute magnetism. It didn't help that Kovu was wearing an enormous smile on his face, gesturing out toward it.

"This is what you wanted your whole life, isn't it?"

"Well yes."

"So? Kiara, this is freedom!" He leapt forward.

"Kovu!"

"No one to tell us where to go, no one to tell us what to do." His enthusiasm fell a little as he came over to her. "Kiara," He reasoned. "We can't go back. I mean, my own family won't have anything to do with me; or yours," his plea was earnest, "Kiara, let's just leave here."

The force driving her heart was beginning to throb, and starting to beat, it seemed, in an entirely different direction then what it had been. Her ears went up and she absently began to wander back the way she came. If she left, Kiara would never see her family again. But if she went back, the lioness might suffer a fate worst then that. She did not see Kovu look down at his feet in sudden indecision and then out eastbound again. They both stood back-to-back, poised to go in two different directions when they had been told all their lives not to take their eyes off each other. The pull finally seemed to claim Kovu as he walked over and took a spot behind Kiara's left shoulder. She shifted her eyes and met with his finally.

"I'm going back."

"And I'm going with you."

To be continued…

~ Lavenderpaw ~


	18. Surrender: Pt 1 of 2

**A/N: **Man, I've been struggling to write this really awesome fic. It's just that I've got so many ideas for new projects. The strange thing is that the harder I try to be normal and get a job, the stronger my urge to write becomes. Well, at least one day when someone turns to me and asks me who I am I can say: I'm an author. Lol. Splittin' up chapters again. -_-

**I.**

The once hard ground was slick with mud-trenched water. Clouds had gathered over the young lions' starry night and now morning was a vast expanse of dark gray. Normally a lion would seek shelter and sleep away the day when the rains would come through, and especially during the daytime. But Kovu and Kiara knew that this was their only chance.

As a dam surging with river water met them at the edge of the land rise where below their respective families where locked in a death match; Kiara and Kovu turned to look at each other and the look that the male lion sent to her was that he agreed with her decision now.

They both attempted to climb over the river logs together when Kovu started to stumble.

He dug his massive black claws into the wobbly log, clenching his fangs as he held on.

"Kovu!"

"Go!" the lion ordered her. "Go on without me. Take care of both our families."

Kiara shook her head in horror. That's when the lesson Kovu had showed her that day they had hunted returned to her. The lioness clasped her paws on either side of a sturdy log wedged between two remaining shelves of dam, and slowly started to make her way across the tree trail. "Relax," she said in a mantra, "Feel the earth between your claws…

… so it doesn't shift and make noise." Kovu struggled to hold on, scoffing in disbelief.

"Kiara! I made that up. The lionesses do all the hunting. I did it to impress you. Stop! I-,"

A pair of orange-gold paws found themselves over his own.

She opened her eyes and grinned down at him deviously.

Kovu smiled up at her from ear-to-ear. "Good work Princess!"

The lioness giggled. "Thanks." then, together as the dam cracked: "Ah!"

"Let's get out of here." She raced back across the askew logs.

"Yee-haw to that." Kovu agreed.

They were almost chasing one another across the dam, enjoying the thrill of running and teaming up together like they had as cubs when something caught Kovu's shoulder blades. He and another lion tumbled across the soggy earth together. Kiara let out a startled gasp as a tan-furred lion with a shaggy dark mane rose from the ground. His head was like that of a wilting black rose until he threw his hair back and glared into her eyes with the evilest glint she had ever seen. Chaka, who had always been lazy and unmotivated, now stalked in a nostril-flaring crouch towards Kovu. The lion instinctively moved forward in contention.

"My big brother Kopa didn't have the chance to skin your hide raw." Chaka growled.

"Come closer, Pride Lander," Kovu hurried to threaten, "I'll show you the proper way."

"Kovu, please." Kiara said in a low voice. "We don't have time for this."

"It's time you died, Outlander." Her brother was rearing to strike the lion.

"Actually," his opposer eyed Chaka's sister slyly, "I'm afraid I'm all… washed up."

The lioness gave Kovu a dumbfounded look before rolling her eyes and groaning.

Chaka roared, shocking both Kiara and Kovu to attention, and threw himself at the other male lion. Standing his ground in readying, the Outlander proceeded to roll out of the way as the flood waters rushed in to carry Chaka away. He wore a solemn look as his mate let out a cry for her brother, the swift waters whisking the lion off. Kovu tucked Kiara under his chin to keep her from rushing out to try and save him. Tears formed in his love's eyes for her brother and he allowed her to bury herself into his thick chest to grieve for Chaka.

The lion looked up to see that a lioness was spearheading forward at him. One of the three young females from two days earlier was trying to get at Kovu with her claws out and her red-brown eyes gleaming in intent to harm him. Kiara was the first to name who she was:

"Shani!"

"I'm sorry, Kiara." the lioness said. She steadied herself on the slippery mud and was set to go in to try and gorge her claws into Kovu again. "But our brother was going to die the moment he tried to stop your _boyfriend,_" her teeth flashed like daggers at a startled Kovu.

"Listen, your brother tried to kill me." the lion reasoned. "I don't want to hurt you too."

Shani didn't budge. "Shame on you, Kiara." she glanced her way. "For choosing below us. For choosing…" the lioness bared her fangs at Kovu. "For choosing filth over our family!"

Kiara became enraged at that statement and went to take down the lioness. Kovu managed to push her out of the way as a log from the last part of the dam came flying loose. While the other part was still free-flowing he and Kiara ran for the edge of the land rise. Shani, in a fit of traumatized sorrow over the loss of Chaka, hurled herself madly at the two lions.

Together, Kiara and Kovu managed to pin her down to the ground. She squirmed like a crazed animal, thrashing her lower legs out and growling unnaturally for sheer vengeance.

"Shani," Kiara stared wide-eyed down at her sister, "It didn't have to come to this."

The lioness bared her teeth up at her, no longer there. "Our brother is dead!" she raved.

"So is mine." Kovu admitted firmly. "That's what happens in the real world."

…

The lion noticed something in the distance. A large, lumbering hulk was walking along a few crisscrossing logs that blocked up the entrance to the main river below the plateau. He felt his eyes moisten as the lion looked up, met his son's eyes meaningfully and yanked up on a small root springing out from the center log. Kovu said something inaudible to Kiara and the two barely managed to leap out of the way as the river flooded and then consumed the rest of the land rise. They stumbled down the muddy slop away from the on surge, the ground was terribly thick and hard to maneuver but they managed to guide themselves to where several more steep slopes greeted them until they finally had to fling their tiresome selves over a muddied knoll and plop themselves right in the paths of their scarred prides.

"Kiara." A visibly injured Simba spoke softly.

She met his eyes in a glare.

"Kovu!" A surprisingly unscathed Zira proclaimed.

Her son stared his parent down as well.

To be continued…

**Author's note continued: **Yeah, pretty interesting that Zira hasn't gotten a beating yet. As for Shani, Naba and Chaka, well, their fates are unknown right now. I'm not saying they're dead. But this presumption is the final straw for Kovu and Kiara as peacemakers.

~ Lavenderpaw ~


	19. The Surrender: Pt 2 of 2

**I.**

They argued back and forth for a minute or two until Zira rendered her final verdict.

"Do you want your princess to have a scar to match your own? Move!"

" 'Scar?' " Simba repeated.

The lion peered around his daughter to see Kovu. He lowered his head a moment before turning to look Simba directly in the eyes. It clicked. Kovu hadn't gotten the scar because he had gone through with Zira's plan, he had been marked for defying his mother's orders.

Nala gasped from his left flank. "Kiara!"

Simba faced the lioness again only to see that she had let her head fall in subordination. As his eyes moved back to Kovu, the lion was still looking at him intensely before averting his gaze to Kiara. When the meaning deepened and Simba stepped back, Kiara began talking:

"A wise king once told me, we… are one. I didn't understand him then, but now I do."

She looked up.

"But, they-,"

"Them? Us? Look at them, they are us," She explained calmly. "What differences do you see?" The shroud of clouds uncluttered enough so that a black haze showed deep gashes and swipes along the lionesses. From the Pride Landers to the Outlanders, they were hurt.

Simba, slick wet with rain and bloody wounds on his body, looked upon his daughter who smiled earnestly. He assessed the lions around him one final time before smiling up at the opening clouds and embracing his daughter in a swath of sunlight. Murmurs were heard.

"Is she right?"

"Should we stop?"

…

Kovu looked over at a wet but fairly unscathed Nala.

She looked at him as well… and smiled.

A moment passed and he returned one in understanding.

…

"Kiara's right!"

Heads turned to see that a lioness with similar coloring to the Outlanders came forward.

Shallow red slices ran up and down along Aisha's body. "And… I'm sorry, Kiara."

The princess considered this a moment. "Thank you."

"Vitani, attack!" Zira ordered when Simba and Kiara were sidetracked.

"No, Mother." The gold-brown lioness met her brother's eyes, seemingly remembering his words to her from before their brother was killed. "Kiara's right." she left Zira. "Enough."

"If you will not fight, than you shall die as well."

The scoffs were loud and disgusted.

"What! What? Where are you all going!.? Get back here!"

They continued to file away from her.

"Let it go Zira," Simba told the enraged lioness. "It's time to put the past behind us."

"Zira, please." Kiara left her father and a space opened up between them. "Peace, _please_."

The reminder of vengence in her brother and sister's eyes weren't enough to stop her.

"No!" Zira went at Simba.

Kiara managed to hug her around the lower body and produce enough force to counteract the lunge at her father. The two went sprawling across the wet mud away from the others. The younger of the pair clocked the gaunt lioness across her chops once but found quickly that she fared no chance at defeating Zira. The lioness clasped her around the wrist before pinning her squirming body down. When the large cat smiled down, it was with subversive delight. "Give your brother Kopa," her claw raised over her head. "Aunt Zira's greetings."

Like a flash of lightening, two claws connected into the lioness's back with an ear-popping pound. Kiara watched as Nala wretched Zira from atop her and worked her way back with her claws still worked into the old lioness's back. Zira back pawed her mother away but as the other lions raced to break up the brawl, Kiara started to stumble back and, clutching a furious Zira to her, went over the edge of the gorge with Kovu and her father calling out:

"Kiara!"

The last thing she saw was her father grabbing onto the side of the rock face after her.

"Kiara!"

**II.**

Kovu bowed his head in grief. Somehow he wasn't so much as numb to losing his loved ones as he was unsurprised by it. Vitani coming up to his side and nuzzling him under the muzzle allowed his mind to drift away from the void he would surely have sunken into if not for the only ones he had left. Simba and Kiara resurfacing was a blessing to him now as she came to stand before him. The look in her eyes let him know that she was weary.

"Kovu."

"Oh, Kiara."

They embraced.

…

Simba looked upon the two lions in guilt. That's when he noticed that both sides of the lions, Outlanders and Pride Landers, still stood scarred and divided on opposite sides od the gorge. He looked at the earth in thought for a second before turning to the only other male lion that stood with his daughter over a ways. Where was Chaka? Or Kovu's older brother? Where was the lion that was one day going to take over when Simba was gone?

"Kovu."

The lion met Kiara's eyes one final time in fear and approached Simba woefully.

"I was wrong," the king lamented.

His daughter raised her head. "Father?"

The lions on both sides perked up as well.

He nodded at her once before looking upon his young friend. "You're one of us."

Kovu was astounded for a moment before smiling in gratitude. Kiara, brightening with joy, ran over to truly embrace her lover. The two cuddled close and slowly earned what they had fought for their entire lives: acceptance. "Let's go home," Simba said, watching as the Outlanders approached him eagerly. "All of us." but someone did not join in the festivities.

The sight of Kula remaining behind made the ripple of elation start to leave everyone.

Kiara looked over at her concerned parents before walking over to where a certain lioness stood watching her cautiously. She waited, anticipating what Kiara had to say about Shani and Chaka. The younger lioness shook her head as Kula developed tears in her puce eyes.

Kiara went to rest her head under the childless mother's chin.

Over a ways Timira and Aisha pressed their heads together and wept quietly as the lions lowered their heads in mourning. Kovu kept his own up and his green eyes trained on his love. The lion cleared his throat once before raising his head higher and letting out a roar.

Simba followed suit and released one of his own. This was followed by Kiara, Kula, than Timira, Aisha and Vitani until they all roared in unison. Total sunlight revealed that blood was pooling indiscriminately across the muddied ground. Two Pride Landers along with two Outlanders were no longer with them... and Naba, who was both and neither one.

To be continued…

**A/N:**

Kovu's father is a true Outlander. He's a Pride Lander who was exiled only for the fact that Scar and Mufasa's father Ahadi didn't want competition. Yep, they were friends and such.

~ Lavenderpaw ~


	20. Rebirth

************

I. — four months later...

I'm comin' home I'm comin' home  
tell the World I'm comin' home

Let the rain wash away all the pain of yesterday  
I know my kingdom awaits and they've forgiven my mistakes  
I'm comin' home, I'm comin' home  
tell the World that I'm comin'

- DDM.

The sun glistened gold on the extended Pride Lands; with the wet season growth had accumulated from the termite hills of the Outlands to the places where fire had raged along the mid-point of the once divided lands. Animals far and wide — who had once been unable to accept the Outlanders — gathered around for a festival of ceremonies.

Three, in fact.

Rafiki made his way for the sixth time in his lifetime up the boulder stairs that rose to where the Pride Landers closest to the king and queen were gathered in waiting as the baboon pressed his long fingers to the oblong stone and hobbled over to Simba and his wife. At the sight of him the lion nodded in greeting and turned his head to his daughter.

She stood with her "escort" outside of the mouth of Pride Rock.

Kovu smiled at the monkey and nudged Kiara once on the cheek.

"Simba?" he turned to ask.

The lion nodded.

A smile spread across his lips and he raised his cane over the young lions, shaking it.

The idea that they had all become so happy and content was beyond what he had expected as Kiara approached him, her smile waning a bit as her eyes gleamed with nerves. Rafiki in turn was confused until Nala came up and whispered something in the medicine man's ear.

"Oh…"

"Simba?"

"Yes, Rafiki. I think it's time this happened. I will still assume my position as king."

"Kiara." the monkey turned to her.

"Yes."

He led her out to the beginning of the lines of lionesses. There, Rafiki gathered a handful of dirt and sprinkled it over Kiara. She bowed her head graciously to receive it and kept it lowered as the still somewhat unsure mandrill broke one of his coconuts open. Pleased, he circled the insides with his thumb and then his index finger. Rafiki then lightly traced a big circle of fruit juice over her forehead before crossing a male lion's line directly through it.

"You are ready," he said with a quiet smile.

The lioness had tears in her eyes as she placed her head against his chest. He gave her a gentle hug and moved away with his arm sweeping in a gesture to proceed forward. Kiara hesitated a moment and looked back over her shoulder. Her mother motioned her it was her time and Kovu gave her a wink. The princess walked past an assortment of Outlanders and Pride Landers. Vitani, Kirijah, Timira and Kula were all watching the lioness with pride.

"Good luck, Kiara." Her mother told her.

"Thanks."

"Good luck…" Aisha sighed heavily. "Queen."

"Thank you."

Kiara stepped forward into the sun that had now risen high enough so that she could look up into it. A large lion was beaming down on her, it was as though he had always been up there, watching down on his granddaughters and the rest of the Pride Lands. Queen Kiara surveyed her subjects from atop Pride Rock, smiled to herself after a moment and let out a roar to them. They roared back their acceptance to the dual reign between Simba and her.

The king came alongside his daughter and released a roar himself. Kovu appeared between them and did so now, earning an amused look from his future father-in-law. Nala assumed her place beside Simba and roared down to the rest of the lions. Then, as one, they roared to cement their claim on the lands. Before the animals who were not lions could react to the conflicting message, Simba and Kovu parted so that Rafiki could take his place at the top.

…

"Nunka." Kovu said of the brown, red-eyed lioness cub in one of the monkey's arms.

"Tanabi." Kiara spoke of the yellow-gold furred lion with green eyes in his other.

The little female had a circle over her forehead while her brother had a normal king's mark over his. Both the parents and the grandparents admired the twin cubs as they yawned and kicked their little paws. Simba let his eyes wander to the sky where the image of his father smiled down at him. When he saw this, the king smiled back. "Well done my son… we are one." the lion nodded in love and memory of Kopa and Mufasa. "I love you father, son…"

The End.

~ Lavenderpaw ~


End file.
